A blog by Matt Kraus

Star Wars Episode VII: Now Starring Human Beings!

I’ve long maintained that a new Star Wars film may not be the greatest idea, and I’ve grown increasingly bored by the nonstop reporting of non-news surrounding J.J. Abrams’ Episode VII. However, today we at last have real news, as the official cast was announced for the Internet to devour and go crazy over, despite the fact they’re probably just going to be angry at the final product when it comes out next year. Even so, when an image like the one above is released—showing the old favorites sitting in the same room as a group of talented young’uns—it’s hard to not get a little excited. For the first time in this entire process, I consider myself interested.

Since every last rumor has been “reported” over the course of the last several months, there aren’t a whole lot of surprises to be found in this group. As was believed to be the case for a while, Star Wars Episode VII: Revenge of the Rising Jedi Darkness Sith Something, Something features just about all of our old friends from the original trilogy and none of our old friends from the prequels. (Suck it, Jake Lloyd!) Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker are all back to reprise their roles, and that alone should be interesting to watch transpire. As with many things about this project, this decision could either be really cool or backfire horribly.

I’m much more interested by the list of newcomers, which includes Attack the Block star John Boyega finally getting the break he deserves, Inside Llewyn Davis co-stars Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver reversing course on their previous request to not be shot into outer space, Andy Serkis undoubtedly doing Andy Serkis-y things, young Brits Daisy Tidley and Domhnall Gleeson, as well as Max von Sydow, who will almost certainly play the good guy. At long last, the Star Wars wheels have been set back into motion, and there’s no turning back now. The film will be released on December 18, 2015. God help us all.